Keg Couplers 101: Choosing the Right Type and Style of Keg Coupler for Your Beer Dispensing System

If there’s one beer component you can really say brings your whole dispensing system together, it’s the keg coupler. It connects the air line from your CO2 or Nitrogen tank and the beer line to your keg. It’s also what allows the compressed air into your keg, resulting in your beer being pushed all the way to the faucet.

While couplers are available in a variety of metals and finishes, if you are serving anything other than beer, you will want to ensure you get a stainless steel probe. Beverages like coffee, wine, kombucha, and soda are acidic, when means any other kind of metal will eventually corrode and taint the taste of your product.

Note: Keg couplers are not used on Cornelius (Corny) kegs. Corny kegs use either ball-lock connectors (in and out) or pin-lock connectors (in and out).

Types of Keg Couplers

The type of keg coupler you need is dependent on the keg – the coupler must be compatible with the keg valve.

The most popular coupler type – in America, anyway – is the US Sankey “D” System coupler. This coupler will fit on kegs from all of the major breweries, as well as from most all of the other domestic beer suppliers.

The remaining types of keg couplers fit various European and import kegs.

• S System
• U System
• A System
• M System
• G System

If you aren’t sure exactly what kind of coupler you will need, consult with your beer distributor.

Styles of Keg Couplers

There are various styles of couplers, depending on your needs. The standard coupler styles are lever and wing. Lever handle couplers are the more popular option, as they require only one hand for operation.

Low profile keg couplers are also an option – perfect for tight-clearance installations. They are shorter than the standard keg couplers – this one from Perlick stands only 2-1/8” tall!

Additional styles you can find on our webstore include a coupler with a short handle - perfect for slim 1/4 kegs with high walls around the coupler fitting – and a coupler with a bent probe. The bent probe design helps eliminate beer kinks.